President Barack Obama offers congratulations to Mark Buehrle

And that was after Obama's ceremonial first pitch didn't make it to home plate.

Thursday, Buehrle's postgame news conference was interrupted so he could take a telephone call from the White Sox's No. 1 fan -- Obama.

"[Obama] said he was taking a little bit of credit because he wore the White Sox jacket at the All-Star Game, and I told him how surprised I was that he actually did it," Buehrle said. "He said congratulations, and it's an honor. [He said] a lot of people are going to remember this forever."

Buehrle said the recent conversations with Obama have made him "almost like a buddy. I met him one time and meeting him again, everybody else was in awe."

About an hour after his perfect game, Buehrle said he received 54 text messages.

Perhaps the most amusing exchange occurred during the game with catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who goaded Buehrle for no longer pitching complete games.

"I said, 'Go out and throw a no-hitter,' and he said, 'I already got one of those,' " Pierzynski said. "I said, '[Expletive], go out and throw a perfect game.' "

The joking continued until the ninth, when Pierzynski told Buehrle: 'Hey, you have three more outs, let's do this.' He was just laughing. There are superstitions, but with Mark he just has fun with it."

During warm-ups between innings, Pierzynski was sailing throws past Buehrle, who responded by bouncing pitches to Pierzynski.

"With Mark it's have fun, and that works the best for him," Pierzynski said.

It also brought a big smile to the faces of club Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who attended Buehrle's postgame news conference, and general manager Ken Williams.